Contemporary works by various composers (amongst them Ewazen, Messner and Hyman) performed by three friends who formed the Palisades Virtuosi, in order to promote works for flute, clarinet and piano. Lyrical, quiet, lilting and even amusing. Play all!
File: Classical collections: Palisades Virtuosi
Lyrical, contemporary pieces, some with voice, tending to be quiet and gracious. Try 8, 11-13.
File: Classical composer: Boykan
These pieces are exemplary of the Franco-Belgian violin school, the basis of the modern technical use of the violin. Play any!
File: Classical collections: Papavrami
This ensemble seeks to display trombone works diversely and through time–Renaissance forward. Includes works by Pergolesi, Strauss, Bozza, Bach and Deemer. Debut recording. Play any!
File: Classical collections: Chicago Trombone Consort
Two of Czechoslovakia’s best composers began as a teacher/student relationship (Dvorak as teacher) and then became a family affair when Suk married Dvorak’s daughter. These two works are Romantic, lush and pastorale. And every classical music library needs a version of Czech Suite! Play all!
File: Classical collections: Dvorak
Eclectic psych-jazz funk from this four-piece band out of Milan–- contemporary takes on obscure themes from Italian cinema circa 1960’s-70’s. Described by Wax Poetics as “Italian soundtrack funk that sounds like Goblin recording at Stax!” Perhaps not as eerie or fantastical as Goblin, but this group certainly lays down some dark, sophisticated grooves.
This rock EP, which varies from tunes with nearly a country vibe to tunes with a psych vibe, shows that this band is still experimenting with its sound. I’m really digging the edginess/uniqueness of the last track– “Don’t Let it Die”– it kind of reminds me of some of Gossip’s older material (although I could just be thinking that because it’s the next band that comes alphabetically on my iTunes!).
FCC Clean!
Try: 5,4,3
RIYL My Morning Jacket, Blitzen Trapper
Here’s some cheery, jangly summertime pop. It might take a few listens for the stop-and-go melodies and highly affected vocals to grow on you (as in I really didn’t get the hype about this band during my first listen), but this is pretty decent stuff. Tracks like “Nova Leigh” recall the pure exhilaration of Vampire Weekend’s tracks, while others (like “At Home Now”) show a serious Strokes influence. My personal faves are the aforementioned “Nova Leigh” (8) and “The Ballad of Moose Bruce” (has kind of a manic-folksy vibe) (5) but suggested tracks are all pretty good.
FCC Clean!
RIYL Vampire Weekend, The Strokes
Try 2,3,5,6,7,8,9
Hayaino Daisuki- The Invincible Gate Mind Of The Infernal Fire EP
released April 9, 2010 on Hydra Head Records
This is an EP from a Japanese outfit described as “power-thrash”. It’s only 4 songs long, clocking in at about 12-13 minutes total. “Ghosts Of Purgatory” is chock full of pounding, thrashing drums that dominate the sound. Noisy and somewhat primitive with a good dose of hardcore intensity thrown in. ”Shibito” is similar but with slightly less drums and more of an attempt at fleshing out the guitars and bass, throwing in a few blast beats for good measure. ”Blood” is probably the best out of all four tracks with intense thrashing/blast beats. Call them whatever you want but don’t call them grindcore. I’ve never actually heard much Japanese thrash, hence my first exposure to such. Not bad at all and check it out if you love drumming.
FCC: Check?
Try: 1,2,4
01. Ghosts Of Purgatory
02. Shibito
03. Kirei
04. Blood
3/5
Harvey Milk- A Small Turn Of Human Kindness
released May 18, 2010 on Hydra Head Records
When I last visited Harvey Milk via the re-release of their self-titled album back in February, I was not sure to expect. It would be an understatement to say that it introduced me to a whole new world of music that I had previously been unaware of. To start things off, “*” is slow and haunting with an orchestral feel to it and a time-signature that moves along at a snail’s pace. It’s certainly reminiscent of what I heard on the re-release of their self-titled album. “I Just Want To Go Home” continues the same pace. By reading the press description, you will see that each song is meant to flow into the other. “I Am Sick Of All This Too” is shorter in length but once again, compliments the first two tracks. “I Know This Is No Place For You” attempts to modify the pace just slightly. “I Alone Got Up And Left” seems primitive in nature, starting off with drum beats that are spaced apart before breaking back into the pacing. The first minute and a half of “I Know This Is All My Fault” is nothing but silence before it breaks into more slow and prodding sludge with pauses and another break into silence at three minutes, thirty seconds in. At five minutes and thirty seconds in, a slow, haunting voice breaks out, followed by very low-key noise. “I Did Not Call Out” is the final track and it aims to tie up this album in an epic manner. It’s no secret that I’m having trouble describing most tracks but in order to truly appreciate this album, you must listen to it from start to finish. It’s always good when an album challenges a listener by merely throwing out musical roadblocks that impede the ability to categorize and name-drop. This is a beautiful album that follows in classic Harvey Milk tradition. In fact, the final track is reminiscent of “F.S.TP” from their self-titled album. Their sound has matured and so have they. Check out this album and before you play the first track, let go of any expectations that you have and just fall into the moment.
FCC: Check
Try: 1, 3, *5*, *7*
01. *
02. I just Want To Go Home
03. I Am Sick Of All This Too
04. I Know This Is No Place For You
05. I Alone Got Up And Left
06. I Know This Is All My Fault
07. I Did Not Call Out
4/5